Governor’s portrait is back after its tumble

After an absence that left a noticeable void at the Capitol, the governor is back where he belongs — up against the wall.

No, not current Gov. Greg Abbott, who is back from a trip to Washington to get his photo taken in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump.

And no, not former Gov. Rick Perry, who, now in the Cabinet of a guy he once told us was a bad man, also showed up for a recent Oval Office photo with Trump.

The gov we’re talking about is one that might not pop into your mind when somebody says “the gov”: Fletcher Summerfield Stockdale, a Civil Warera governor who stayed out of the news until last Oct. 9 when police say Tanner Graeber of Fort Worth, then 22, climbed Capitol scaffolding, busted a window and entered the building at about 3:30 on a Sunday morning.

During Graeber’s allegedly unauthorized, after-hours, unguided Capitol tour, police say he tossed a fire extinguisher and Stockdale’s portrait from the third floor to the Rotunda floor. He’s under indictment for burglary of a building and criminal mischief. And yes, this is a Capitol offense.

The State Preservation Board said back in October that the Stockdale portrait and its frame were sent out for rehab, leaving a gap between the portraits of Govs. Pendleton J. Murrah and Andrew J. Hamilton. Sad.

But now there’s reason to be glad. Stockdale’s back and looking good. Murrah and Hamilton seem pleased to have him back. I might be projecting